1. King Solomon loved many foreign women, including the daughter of Pharaoh and women from Moab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon, and the Hittites.
2. In the past the Lord had said to the Israelites, “You must not marry people from other nations. If you do, they will cause you to follow their gods.” But Solomon fell in love with these women.
3. He had 700 wives who were the daughters of leaders from other nations. He also had 300 slave women who were like wives to him. His wives caused him to turn away from God.
4. When Solomon was old, his wives caused him to follow other gods, so he did not follow the Lord completely as his father David did.
5. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of Sidon, and Milcom, the horrible god of the Ammonites.
6. So Solomon did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not follow the Lord completely as his father David did.
7. On the mountain next to Jerusalem, Solomon built a place for worshiping Chemosh, that horrible idol of the Moabites. On the same mountain, Solomon built a place for worshiping Molech, that horrible idol of the Ammonites.
8. Solomon did the same thing for all of his other foreign wives who burned incense and gave sacrifices to their gods.
9. So Solomon did not remain faithful to the Lord, the God of Israel, even though God had appeared to him twice. The Lord became angry with him.
10. He had told Solomon that he must not follow other gods, but Solomon did not obey the Lord’S command.
11. So the Lord said to Solomon, “You have chosen to break your agreement with me. You have not obeyed my commands. So I promise that I will tear your kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants.
12. But I loved your father David, so I will not take your kingdom away from you while you are alive. I will wait until your son becomes king. Then I will take it from him.
13. Still, I will not tear away all the kingdom from your son. I will leave him one tribe to rule. I will do this for my servant David and for Jerusalem, the city I chose.”
14. Then the Lord raised up Hadad the Edomite to become Solomon’s enemy. Hadad was from the royal family of Edom.